BIZNOTE: West Seattle Pizza Hut closing

The staff at West Seattle’s only Pizza Hut (6501 35th Ave. SW) confirms a tip we received over the weekend – it’s closing in two weeks. January 21st is the last day, we’re told. Why? That, we don’t know, and staff declined comment; we have an inquiry out to Pizza Hut corporate media relations. (No redevelopment proposals in the file; county records do show the property had a change in the owner of record last year, not a sale but an estate situation.) This is the latest change of several in the chain-pizza scene in West Seattle – a second Domino’s opened in South Admiral a year ago, not long after the lone West Seattle Papa John’s closed (that site is scheduled to be redeveloped into townhouses). After the 35th SW Pizza Hut closes, the nearest one will be in White Center.

54 Replies to "BIZNOTE: West Seattle Pizza Hut closing"

  • PizzaPizza January 7, 2019 (3:17 pm)

    A little walk down Pizza Hut memory lane… sad:  https://apple.news/A74GfYchzRFGenD77A7VdiA

  • Donut Lover January 7, 2019 (4:08 pm)

    Bring back Winchell’s! 

    • Rick January 8, 2019 (9:15 am)

      Little brother worked night shift there in the 70’s.  Oh, the boxes of freebies after a night out! Like I needed any more sugar.

  • Chuck January 7, 2019 (4:16 pm)

    Bring back the Winchell’s Donuts.

  • Richard January 7, 2019 (4:25 pm)

    The problem is that their delivery charge ($4.99) plus expected tip ($3.00+) is higher than the price of a good frozen pizza.  Not to mention the 10.1% sales tax.

    • Jort January 7, 2019 (6:33 pm)

      The problem could also be that they make Grade A garbage pizza and there are lots of way better alternatives among the 3 or 4 million pizza places in West Seattle. 

      • West Seattle Hipster January 8, 2019 (6:20 am)

        Way to show compassion for the people losing their jobs.  Rather, we are subjected to a self absorbed rant about the plethora of pizza places in West Seattle.  Nice prioroties. 

        • Swede. January 8, 2019 (9:01 am)

          I was unaware that (self-proclaimed) hipsters rather pay for and eat crapy food just to support the people working there! 

          • West Seattle Hipster January 8, 2019 (9:52 am)

            Paying for stuff we don’t use or need is par for the course in Seattle these days.

        • ImNotSparticus January 8, 2019 (11:17 am)

          Jort is right about this one, though; we should support local businesses and not crappy, overpriced chains.

    • Gorillita January 8, 2019 (9:20 am)

      I agree.  I cannot afford to do business with them.  Another pizza place that delivers advertises my favorite pizza for $7.99 if you come in and pick it up. With all the fees and tips, it is $33.00 delivered.  I am disabled and have no way to pick it up.

  • just wondering January 7, 2019 (4:26 pm)

    Don’t know what the property size is but there are bus stops nearby.  Someone could build a multi-story apartment building without having to provide underground parking!

    • ~hockeywitch~ January 9, 2019 (3:29 pm)

      I hope they aren’t building a new building. I have lived in the Apartment bldg right next to it for the last 26yrs… their customers noise (parking with their cars music bumpin and thumpin while they order and wait)  is super obnoxious, but I’d rather have that than construction and a new bldg next to me :(

  • Jay January 7, 2019 (4:40 pm)

    Nooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!! 😭😢😭😢😭

  • D Del Rio January 7, 2019 (4:40 pm)

    Wish it was still a Winchells Doughnuts. They made their doughnuts fresh in that very building every day day. Now it seems many places get theirs trucked in from a central bakery. They are several hours old by the time they arrive.

    • ACG January 7, 2019 (11:28 pm)

      Go to the Original Bakery- next to Endolyne Joe’s. They make fresh homemade doughnuts every day in shop.  It is not a chain doughnut shop, a wonderful locally owned business. I’m craving some Original Bakery doughnuts right  now just thinking of it. 

      • CMT January 8, 2019 (11:39 am)

        Original Bakery = Best.Apple.Fritters.Ever!

    • ACG January 8, 2019 (9:04 am)

      Go to the Original Bakery, next to Endolyne Joe’s!  They make their doughnuts fresh every morning (on site). An awesome independent doughnut shop, with the nicest owner and employees. 

      • HS January 8, 2019 (9:43 am)

        So true! And the brioches are fantastic!

  • Kim January 7, 2019 (5:03 pm)

    Hoping it becomes a fun shop or cafe for our little corner of West Seattle. We could use it up here!

  • Jacob January 7, 2019 (5:12 pm)

    Between the possibilities for this space, the new business coming in on the next block (HIIT Lab, etc), and the discussion of locally owned shopain Upton Flats, 35th and Morgan is up and coming!

  • Bill January 7, 2019 (6:59 pm)

    Nearest one is in White Center, not Ballard.

    • WSB January 7, 2019 (7:17 pm)

      That’s what our story says.

  • Trickycoolj January 7, 2019 (8:02 pm)

    Seemed like they were busy enough. Always see the delivery car out and about and people always seem to be holding carry out when I drive by. What’s left for delivery these days? Dominos, Zeeks, or Pagliaccis? Any others?Would love to see something more exciting for the High Point area that doesn’t require that uphill hike from either junction. 

    • Wes C. Addle January 8, 2019 (3:16 pm)

      There are quite a few delivery Pizza options on Caviar, Uber Eats, Postmates etc .  . . still at least.

  • pdid January 7, 2019 (8:15 pm)

    Looks like the Noid finally got em.

  • Jim P. January 7, 2019 (10:22 pm)

    Haven’t had Pizza Hut in over forty years, by choice.  Dreadful pizza but i hate to see any business in West Seattle shut down unless something better moves in.I just hope it’s not a nail salon or check cashing place.  Never a good economic sign when those proliferate.Wasn’t Round Table supposed to open a spot in West Seattle a few years back? Whatever happened?

    • WSB January 7, 2019 (10:48 pm)

      That space, formerly Garlic Jim’s Pizza, became Pizzeria Credo instead.

  • andy January 7, 2019 (10:27 pm)

    now all we need to do is get rid of the remaining eyesores – replace them with things that will improve the neighborhood feel and property values.anyone that lives in Gatewood knows what I’m talking about.bring in the bull dozers, out with the old and in with the new…

  • gatewoodguy January 8, 2019 (6:42 am)

    Checkmate Cleaners next door shut down a couple weeks ago. Coincidence or connected?

  • Donut Lover January 8, 2019 (7:47 am)

    If you want awesome donuts, go to GOOD DAY DONUTS in White Center:  https://www.gooddaydonuts.com/  

  • Airwolf January 8, 2019 (9:10 am)

    Love Pizza Hut, and its not overpriced like all the other pizza places.  What’s left for economical pizza choices? Dominos and Little Ceasars?

  • That Guy January 8, 2019 (9:35 am)

    Once this one shuts down, they’ll just be one Pizza Hut left in seattle proper. They made a deliberate decision to vacate from Seattle due to minimum wage increase and scheduling requirements. It was/is a business decision.

    • Jort January 8, 2019 (11:10 am)

      Interesting. So you’re saying that Pizza Hut would rather go out of business in Seattle than pay a livable wage with a livable schedule? Seems like the 3 or 4 million other pizza places in Seattle have managed to figure it out just fine. Or, maybe — just maybe — the minimum wage increase isn’t the actual issue?

      • That guy January 8, 2019 (1:26 pm)

        Jort, mom not speculating on that… I’m saying that it’s factual. The franchise has many other locations around the sound and are simply getting out of the biz in seattle. Their stores would have to do more sales than they were currently doing in order to be profitable. Therefore, they have closed at least 5 or 6 since $15 came into play. You can dismiss it if you’d like, but I can assure you that this is THE reason that they are fleeing the city. 

        • simple January 9, 2019 (9:06 am)

          That Guy: sure, but everything you said can be said without mentioning minimum wage.  And to bring up the minimum wage as a reason they are leaving is misleading–for example did you know Pizza Hut is in Australia?  Did you know they have a minimum wage?  It’s $19.  So you see it’s better to just say the Pizza Hut here on 35th closed because their business model (and pizza, but i digress) was, well, bad.  Just leave it at the store not being profitable.  Simple.

          • Joe January 10, 2019 (8:48 am)

            WRONG. You’re using AUS dollars. It’s $13 USD minimum wage in Australia. That’s lower than Seattle. If a small business spends more on wages, where do you think that extra money comes from? The owner’s pocket? No. They hire fewer people, or they close shop. Simple economics.

    • Suds January 8, 2019 (11:21 am)

      Could be that their product is terrible and doesn’t do well in our region. Happens all the time.

  • aa January 8, 2019 (9:41 am)

    It seems economical  pizza requires you go frozen these days. Trader Joe’s has good frozen.  And if you live near a grocery outlet they also have inexpensive frozen.  Whole foods has two for one fresh uncooked pizza on Tuesdays, I don’t know the price.Donuts has to be the Original Bakery.

  • Andros January 8, 2019 (9:57 am)

    If Checkmate shutdown and now Pizza the Hut, there is a high chance that we are going to see another 4 story condo on the corner there with no underground parking.

    • WSB January 8, 2019 (10:17 am)

      Hadn’t heard about the cleaners; we’ll have to add “make sure neighboring business is still open” to checklist for future closure reports! Their part of the parcel has the same ownership, records show. But no filings. The zoning is NC2-40, likely an extra story if/when HALA passes, which could mean mixed-use apartments (no one is building condos still, except on Alki) or live-work townhouses. What I don’t know is whether the 21 and 128 qualify that corner for enough transit to reduce parking requirements – TR

  • WSB January 8, 2019 (11:31 am)

    Thanks again to “Gatewood Guy” upthread for mentioning the dry-cleaner next door had recently closed. We went by to verify. Note on the door attributes the closure to “personal matters.”

  • gatewoodguy January 8, 2019 (12:52 pm)

    @WSB  you’re welcome!Looking for Checkmate replacement ideas in the biz forum section. Thx!

  • CT January 8, 2019 (1:36 pm)

    No pizza of great value was lost that day    

  • Sushi eater January 8, 2019 (6:42 pm)

    Not pizza, but Irashai also closed in the Admiral District.

    • WSB January 8, 2019 (7:11 pm)

      JUST got e-mail about that. The note on the door says they’re hoping to reopen as something new, which likely explains a recent liquor-license filing.

  • West Seattle Hipster January 9, 2019 (9:35 am)

    Instead of sympathy  for the community members losing their jobs, let’s debate the merits of what qualifies as “good pizza” and where one can eat a good donut.  Nice priorities.

    • Geez January 9, 2019 (2:20 pm)

      God do you EVER get tired of the virtue signaling?  Yes OK people are losing their jobs!  There is also other stuff to discuss!  

      • West Seattle Hipster January 9, 2019 (5:04 pm)

        Yes, there is other stuff to discuss, and there are other posts in which to do so.  This post is about the closure of a neighborhood business in which folks will lose their jobs.  Show some compassion and focus on priorities for a change.

  • AIDM January 9, 2019 (3:44 pm)

    Betcha both places are selling their property to a condo developer! 

    • WSB January 9, 2019 (3:59 pm)

      If there is a redevelopment proposal, it will be live-works/townhouses or mixed use. Condos are still not being built anywhere except very high-end areas such as Alki.

  • WS Newbie January 28, 2019 (1:24 pm)

    Does anyone know if there are any updates on if a mixed use building or townhouses are going up here?

    • WSB January 28, 2019 (2:13 pm)

      There is nothing on file for either the Pizza Hut address or dry-cleaner address; I have been checking at least once daily. The only thing visible that has happened since the closure and the signage-removal that we reported is that the ex-PH building has been further painted (and subsequently vandalized by taggers, I noticed about an hour ago). The painting would suggest to me that a new tenant is more likely than redevelopment but … all we can do at this point is keep checking, unless someone with info is lurking out there! – TR

Sorry, comment time is over.